South Dublin’s Mayor Peter Kavanagh was presented with his official bicycle by Dublin Cycling Campaign at a special handover ceremony at the Clondalkin Civic Offices on Wednesday morning.

The Mayor’s bicycle was handed over by the outgoing Mayor, Ed O’Brien, in what is hoped will become an annual tradition. The Mayor’s bicycle was funded by Dublin Cycling Campaign and its supporters. The bicycle is a Dutch-style city bicycle, which was provided at cost price by the Dutch Bike Shop in Lucan. The bicycle, a Gazelle CityGo C3, is a robust city bike. It comes equipped with a sturdy rear carrier to carry all of your belongings. The front and rear lights are integrated in the frame and are operated by dynamo, so batteries are a thing of the past. There is a ring lock on the rear wheel for brief stops but a sturdy D-lock is required for longer stops.

The official bicycle provides the Mayor with a sustainable mode of transport that is efficient, healthy and emissions-free. As we face up to the climate crisis the official bicycle offers the ideal transport solution to our Mayor. The bicycle is a visible manifestation of a new era where officials in authority lead by example in efforts to tackle climate change.

Cycling has provided a lifeline to many people during the current public health crisis. The pandemic has seen thousands of Dubliners take to their bikes, with cycling offering people a means of getting around their locality quickly and conveniently, while also freeing up vital space on public transport for essential workers.

Mayor Kavanagh will get an early opportunity to enjoy his new set of wheels during Bike Week which runs from the 12th-18th September. Bike Week www.bikeweek.ie is a celebration and promotion of all that’s great about cycling, with lots of bike themed events organised by South Dublin County Council and by community groups and cycling groups throughout Ireland.

Mayor Peter Kavanagh said: “Tá an-áthas orm an rothar seo a ghlacadh ó Fheachtas Rothaíochta Átha Chliath agus táim ag tnúth le casadh ar muintir Átha Chliath Theas nuair a bheidh mé ag rothaíocht timpeall Cluain Dolcáin agus áiteanna eile sa Chontae. I’m delighted to accept this bicycle from the Dublin Cycling Campaign Group and I look forward to meeting the people of Clondalkin and other places in the County as I put it to good use. It will certainly be handy on my regular trips around the local area. I also intend inviting all Councillors to take the Mayor’s Bicycle out into their communities for charity events and to promote cycling in the County.”

Outgoing Mayor, Ed O’Brien, thanked Dublin Cycling Campaign for the use of the bike during his term as Mayor and said that he found it very useful for getting out and about in the Lucan area. He said that moving around by bicycle was a great way to meet people and that it allowed him to stop and chat with people about local issues.

Kevin Baker, Chairperson of Dublin Cycling Campaign, said: “We’re delighted to present the Mayor with his bicycle. Cycling has become so important for so many people during this pandemic and we appreciate the leadership of councillors like Peter Kavanagh who use a bicycle as their habitual mode of transport, and the work being done by South Dublin County Council and its Cycle South Dublin Programme to make cycling safer and more attractive for people of all ages and abilities.”